4 months ago
1
The Congress connected Friday (January 9, 2026) accused the Union Home Ministry of bypassing modular tendering procedures successful the procurement of tableaux for the 150th commencement day celebrations of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel successful Gujarat, alleging that the process was designed to “deliberately favour” selected firms. The enactment besides questioned the relation of Pankaj Modi, member of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, successful finalising the tableaux, and alleged Mr. Pankaj Modi received “out of turn” promotions and re-appointment successful usurpation of work rules.
Addressing a property league astatine the Congress bureau successful Delhi, elder enactment person and Gujarat MP Shaktisinh Gohil said that the Home Ministry had issued a circular stating that tableaux for ‘Ekta Parade’ would beryllium procured lone from 5 selected firms. Questioning the process, Mr. Gohil said, “How were these 5 selected? No tenders were floated, nor were immoderate bids invited... conscionable these 5 names. And wherefore did they bash this? In their circular, they accidental it was indispensable considering the paucity of time.”
Mr. Gohil said the justification of deficiency of clip was untenable, arsenic preparations for the 150th commencement day celebrations had been nether mode for implicit a year. Shortage of time, helium said, could beryllium cited lone successful situations specified arsenic a earthy calamity. He besides claimed that 2 of the 5 firms were owned by a hubby and wife, and alleged that astir of the firms had communal links.
The Congress person further alleged that the Home Ministry appointed Mr. Pankaj Modi arsenic an adept to finalise the tableaux connected a regular remuneration of ₹10,000, contempt his deficiency of explicit qualifications for the role.
Detailing Mr. Pankaj Modi’s vocation progression, Mr. Gohil said helium was initially appointed arsenic a Class-III worker successful the Gujarat Information Department and aboriginal roseate to the fertile of a Class-I officer, portion nary of his batchmates reached that level. He alleged that work rules were violated astatine aggregate stages, including promotions successful 2003, 2008 and 2014 without completing the mandatory minimum tenure astatine each post.
Mr. Gohil besides alleged that aft Mr. Pankaj Modi retired successful 2016, helium was re-appointed to the aforesaid station for an indefinite period, contrary to rules that licence re-appointment for a maximum of six months and prohibit re-appointment to the aforesaid post. After vacating the post, helium was again accommodated by the Home Ministry arsenic a tableaux expert, Mr. Gohil alleged, adding, “There are designers and different experts, but alternatively of them, a idiosyncratic who worked arsenic a authorities worker successful the Information Department has been appointed arsenic the last authorization for the tableaux.”
